Submittal Log Template (Excel): Columns and Example

Short answer

A submittal log is the contractor's list of every shop drawing, product data sheet and sample the specifications require, with the dates each one was sent, reviewed and returned, its action code and its revision. Under AIA A201-2017 no work that needs a submittal may start until the architect approves it, so the log is how a project engineer keeps purchasing and installation on schedule. Download the free template below; it opens in Excel or Google Sheets.

Under A201-2017, the contractor must submit a submittal schedule for the architect's approval.
No work that requires a submittal may proceed until that submittal is approved.
Submittals are not contract documents: an approval does not change the contract unless a deviation was flagged and approved.
Track each revision on its own line, and link it to the RFI or change order that caused it.

What is a submittal log, and what are construction submittals?

A submittal is information the contractor sends the architect to show how it will meet the contract. A201-2017 names three kinds. "Shop Drawings are drawings, diagrams, schedules, and other data specially prepared for the Work by the Contractor or a Subcontractor". "Product Data are illustrations, standard schedules, performance charts, instructions, brochures, diagrams, and other information furnished by the Contractor to illustrate materials or equipment". "Samples are physical examples that illustrate materials, equipment, or workmanship, and establish standards by which the Work will be judged." (AIA A201-2017, 3.12.1 to 3.12.3).

The log tracks every one of them from the first request to the subcontractor until approval. It matters because "the Contractor shall perform no portion of the Work for which the Contract Documents require submittal and review" until the submittal "has been approved by the Architect" (AIA A201-2017, 3.12.7). A late submittal means late material and a late crew.

Clause numbers on this page refer to AIA A201-2017, the most widely used general conditions. Your contract may use a different form or amend these clauses: follow the contract you signed. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Submittal log columns and template download

Download the submittal log template (CSV). The columns below are the ones most project teams track.

Column	What to enter
Submittal no.	Usually the specification section plus a sequence, for example 08 71 00-001
Spec section	The section that requires the submittal
Description	What is being submitted: door hardware schedule, curtain wall shop drawings
Type	Shop drawing, product data, sample, or other (test report, certificate)
Subcontractor or supplier	Who prepares it
Required by	The date the approval is needed to keep purchasing and installation on schedule
Submitted to architect	Date sent, after the contractor's own review
Returned	Date the reviewed submittal came back
Action code	The reviewer's action, for example approved, approved as noted, revise and resubmit
Revision no.	0 for the first submission, then 1, 2 and so on; one line per revision
Linked RFI or change order	Any RFI or change that caused a revision
Notes	Lead times, long-lead flags, comments that affect other trades

The submittal schedule and the review cycle

Under A201-2017 the contractor "shall submit a submittal schedule for the Architect's approval". It must "be coordinated with the Contractor's construction schedule, and (2) allow the Architect reasonable time to review submittals". If the contractor skips the schedule or does not follow it, "the Contractor shall not be entitled to any increase in Contract Sum or extension of Contract Time based on the time required for review of submittals" (AIA A201-2017, 3.10.2).

The review itself has two steps. First the contractor must "review for compliance with the Contract Documents, approve, and submit to the Architect" (AIA A201-2017, 3.12.5): forwarding a subcontractor's package unread does not meet that duty. Then the architect reviews "only for the limited purpose of checking for conformance with information given and the design concept expressed in the Contract Documents" (AIA A201-2017, 4.2.7); dimensions and quantities stay the contractor's responsibility.

Submittal status and action codes

Each architect uses its own stamp, but the meanings are close. Projects that use the federal guide specification UFGS 01 33 00, "Submittal Procedures", use fixed codes (WBDG):

Code	Meaning	Can work proceed?
A	Approved as submitted	Yes
AN	Approved as noted	Yes, if the contractor takes no exception to the corrections
RR	Disapproved as submitted; resubmit	No, not until the resubmittal is approved
NR	Not reviewed	No; the reason is stated and the item is resubmitted if required
RA	Receipt acknowledged	For information-only submittals

The same specification says submittals marked "approved as noted" "authorize proceeding with the work covered provided that the Contractor takes no exception to the corrections", and for a disapproved item: "Do not proceed with work for this item until the resubmittal is approved." (UFGS 01 33 00). Use the codes on the architect's stamp in your log, not your own paraphrase.

Example: a submittal log for a mid-size project (illustrative)

Five lines from an illustrative log on a fictional three-storey office building. Names and dates are invented.

No.	Description	Rev.	Submitted	Returned	Action	Linked to
05 12 00-001	Structural steel shop drawings, level 2	0	6 Jan	20 Jan	Approved as noted
08 44 13-001	Curtain wall shop drawings	0	13 Jan	3 Feb	Revise and resubmit	RFI 017 (anchor spacing)
08 44 13-001	Curtain wall shop drawings	1	10 Feb	21 Feb	Approved	RFI 017
09 65 19-002	Resilient flooring samples	0	27 Jan	31 Jan	Approved
23 73 13-001	Air handling units, product data	0	20 Jan	7 Feb	Approved as noted	PCO 009 (motor upgrade)

Each revision gets its own line, so the log shows how long a package really took: the curtain wall above needed 39 days and one RFI, which is what the next estimate of that scope should allow.

Submittal register vs submittal log

The two terms are often used for the same thing. Where they differ, the register is the list of every submittal the specifications require, prepared at the start of the job; federal specifications attach one, "Attachment A - Submittal Register", and group items by type, such as "SD-02 Shop Drawings" (UFGS 01 33 00). The log is the live record of what was sent, when, and what came back. Most teams build the log from the register and keep both in one sheet.

Linking submittals to RFIs and change orders

"Shop Drawings, Product Data, Samples, and similar submittals are not Contract Documents" (AIA A201-2017, 3.12.4). An approval therefore does not change the contract. A201-2017 3.12.8 keeps the contractor responsible for any deviation unless it was flagged at the time of submittal and approved as a minor change, or covered by a change order or construction change directive. On a resubmittal, the contractor must also call out changes made "to revisions other than those requested by the Architect on previous submittals" (AIA A201-2017, 3.12.9).

In practice: when a submittal reveals a conflict, raise an RFI; when the answer changes cost or time, open a potential change order. Put the RFI and change order numbers on the submittal line. The change order log and RFI log template uses the same numbers.

Common submittal log mistakes

Most of these show up as a late delivery months later.

Building the log from the subcontracts instead of the specifications. Missing items surface when the inspector asks for them.
No required-by date. Without it, the log cannot tell you which submittal is about to hold up a delivery.
Overwriting a line on resubmittal. Keep each revision, or you lose the review history.
Forwarding subcontractor packages without the contractor's own review stamp.
Treating an approval as permission to deviate. Deviations need to be flagged and approved separately.
Leaving the log behind at closeout. Approved submittals belong in the record set, and the log belongs in your project archive.

Keeping the submittal log after closeout

Approved submittals are part of the record the owner receives: A201-2017 3.11 requires the contractor to keep "the approved Shop Drawings, Product Data, Samples, and similar required submittals" at the site and deliver them on completion (AIA A201-2017). Keep your own copy of the log as well. Review times by architect and by trade are the best evidence for the next schedule. The construction closeout checklist lists what goes to the owner.

Your project logs are also a data asset

A submittal log linked to RFIs, change orders and the final cost shows how real buildings get built, which is what AI developers training construction tools are looking for. Years of complete project records can be licensed by the contractor that owns them, with owner and architect drawings and personal data left out. See selling construction project records to AI companies and the construction contractor data guide.

If your company keeps years of closed project records, the guide for construction contractors explains what AI developers ask for and who signs. To see what yours could be worth, describe them in six questions; no files or system access needed.

Common questions

What is a submittal log in construction?

A list of every shop drawing, product data sheet, sample and other submittal the specifications require, with the dates each was submitted and returned, the reviewer's action and the revision number. The contractor's project engineer usually keeps it.

Who maintains the submittal log, the general contractor or the architect?

The general contractor usually maintains the log, because it prepares and submits the submittals and must follow an approved submittal schedule under A201-2017. Many architects keep their own log of what they received and returned; the two should match.

What are the common submittal status codes on a construction project?

Approved, approved as noted, revise and resubmit (or disapproved), not reviewed, and receipt acknowledged for information-only items. The federal guide specification UFGS 01 33 00 uses the codes A, AN, RR, NR and RA.

How long does submittal review take under an AIA contract?

A201-2017 sets no fixed number of days. The architect acts in line with the approved submittal schedule or, without one, with reasonable promptness while allowing enough time for adequate review. Many specifications state a review period, so check yours.

What is the difference between a submittal and an RFI?

A submittal shows how the contractor will meet the contract: shop drawings, product data, samples. An RFI asks the architect a question about the contract documents. A submittal approval does not change the contract; an RFI answer that does must be followed by a change order, construction change directive or minor change.

Should a contractor keep the submittal log after the project is closed?

Yes. Approved submittals go to the owner with the record documents, and the log itself shows review times by trade and architect, which helps plan the next job. Keep it with the rest of the project file for the retention period your counsel recommends.

What are submittals in construction?

Submittals are the shop drawings, product data, samples and similar documents a contractor sends to the architect to show how it will meet the specifications. The architect reviews them against the design intent, and the submittal log tracks each one from first send to final action.

What is a deferred submittal?

A deferred submittal is a portion of the design that is not submitted with the building permit application and goes to the building official later, within a specified period, as the International Building Code defines it. Section 107.3.4.1 of the IBC covers them; in the Florida Building Code version quoted by Collier County, deferral needs the building official's prior approval, and the registered design professional in responsible charge lists the deferred items on the construction documents. Typical items are shop drawings, trusses or drawings for elements designed by other design professionals, and they may not be installed until the building official approves them. Unlike the submittals on this log, which go to the architect, deferred submittals are a permit matter.

Is "submittal" a real word, or should it be "submission"?

Submittal is a standard word: Merriam-Webster defines it as "something submitted for consideration or approval" and gives submission as its meaning. In construction it is the usual term for the shop drawings, product data and samples sent for review, and AIA A201-2017 uses it throughout section 3.12. Submission is fine in general writing, but the specifications and the contract say submittal, so the log should too.

Sources and further reading

Origin Data Partners is an independent data partner. We work with buyers, and a buyer may pay us when a deal closes.